No Issue Next Week; Look for Actuarial Update

There will be no issue next week because of the January Actuarial Update, which will be published and sent to members on Friday, Jan. 31.

MEMBERSHIP

Reminders—Volunteer Training Webinar Next Week and Volunteer Feedback

A quick reminder about next week’s volunteer training session, which will offer information on two new technology systems designed to support the work of Academy volunteers. The systems, Box and Higher Logic, are intended to help streamline and enable virtual collaboration for committees, while fostering stronger connections and community-building. The training is Tuesday, Jan. 28, from noon to 1:30 p.m. EST. RSVP here.

• Not a volunteer? Learn more about ways to get involved at the Academy.

Volunteer Survey Feedback—In addition to the training, the Academy is seeking input from volunteer feedback surveys sent on Jan. 3. Your feedback is invaluable in helping to improve the Academy’s tools and overall volunteer experience. If you have any questions about any of these volunteer-focused initiatives, please contact Volunteer and Membership Engagement Manager Tony Washington at 202-223-9186, or volunteer@actuary.org.

New Membership Requirements Webinar—Save the date for an informative webinar on the Academy’s membership requirements for new members that will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026. The webinar is set for Feb. 27—register today.

OUTREACH & NEWS

Academy Engages Canadian Students & Shares Insight on Available Resources

Academy leaders attended Canada’s Actuarial Students’ National Association (ASNA) annual convention last weekend in Niagara Falls, Ontario. President Darrell Knapp, Member-Selected Director Maambo Mujala—a past ASNA convention participant—and Claire Mickelson, manager of governance and board relations, participated in ASNA career fairs and interacted with students. They also delivered presentations in English and French on what it takes to practice in the United States, becoming an Academy member, and the various free resources the Academy offers students.

“A number of Canadian students asked a lot of thoughtful questions about what steps would be needed to practice in the U.S., and I appreciated the opportunity to share information with them about that and the value of future Academy membership,” Knapp said. 

ICYMI—Contingencies’ First-Hand Look at Hurricane Helene

In case you missed it, in the January/February Contingencies Robert Rietz offers a first-hand look from Asheville, N.C., at the devastation caused by last fall’s Hurricane Helene—including neighbors helping neighbors, and an alphabet soup of state, local, and federal agencies who pitched in to help with the cleanup.

IN THE NEWS 

• Actuarial Review reported on a general session about emerging technology and reserving at last September’s jointly sponsored Casualty Loss Reserve Seminar, co-moderated by Academy Senior Casualty Fellow Rich Gibson.

EDUCATION & EVENTS

PBGC Presenter Added to Feb. 4 Webinar

The upcoming Feb. 4 webinar, Insights From the PBGC Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate, has added a new speaker: new Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) Pension Benefit Plan Sponsor and Participant Advocate Anne Henderson, who will join other PBGC officials and Penson Committee Chairperson Grace Lattyak as presenters. Register today.

Also in February, don’t miss:

• A Feb. 10 webinar moderated by Research Committee Chairperson Grace Lattyak, featuring speakers on three of the top submissions for last year’s Academy Award for Research, including award recipient Doron Samuell.
• Steve Schoonveld, a member of the Academy’s Long-Term Care (LTC) Committee, who will lead a Feb. 13 conversation with Connecticut’s Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Insurance and other members of the committee on the current state and future of LTC insurance.
• An expansive Feb. 26 webinar featuring members of the Retirement Policy and Design Evaluation Committee, including chair Lee Gold, on collective defined contribution plans, how policymakers may want to think about them as a future retirement tool, and the committee’s recent publication on the topic.

For more on upcoming webinars, see the Events Calendar.

PUBLIC POLICY

Actuarially Sound Blog Highlights Academy’s 2025 Public Policy Outlook

The most recent Actuarially Sound blog post following Inauguration Day this week reflects on 2025’s public policy outlook, as well as priorities and opportunities outlined by Academy leaders in the latest issue of Contingencies.

Order Your P/C, Life & Health Law Manuals Today

The Academy’s P/C Loss Reserve Law Manual and Life and Health Valuation Law Manual are available for order. These useful reference tools are updated annually with statements of actuarial opinion requirements for casualty, life, and health actuaries, with the latest for all states and territories. Order your copy today.

• Visit the Public Policy webpage to stay on top of the latest news and activity.

2025 EVENTS CALENDAR

• Jan. 28: Academy Volunteer Training—Box and Higher Logic

• Feb. 4: Insights From the PBGC Participant and Plan Sponsor Advocate

• Feb. 10: Behavioral Economics in Insurance and Retirement Planning: Select Award for Research Submissions

• Feb. 13: The State of Long-Term Care Insurance: 2025

• Feb. 26: Collective Defined Contribution (CDC) Plans: What Are They and Could They Work in the U.S.?

• Feb. 27: The Academy’s New Membership Requirements: What You Need to Know

• March: Deep Dive on the Code (Professionalism webinar)

• April 2–4: Academy Hill visits; Washington, D.C.

• May 22–23: Insuring the Future: Insurance Investment Summit; New York City

• June 12: Future of Retirement Symposium; Washington, D.C.

• Sept. 8–10: Casualty Loss Reserve Seminar; Philadelphia

• September: Health Equity & Behavioral Health Symposium; Washington, D.C.

• Nov. 17–20: Life and Health Qualifications Seminar; Arlington, Va.

• Dec. 8–9: Seminar on Effective P/C Loss Reserve Opinions; Salt Lake City

Visit the 2025 Events Calendar for a complete listing of Academy events, including links to post-webinar slides and recordings via Academy Learning.

Coming Next Week—Winter Retirement Report

The Winter Retirement Report previews April’s Hill visits and June’s Future of Retirement symposium, notes Retirement Practice Council interactions with federal officials, and covers recent legislative and regulatory activity.